Arab youths hold forum on world heritage in Morocco

The first forum of Arab youth on world heritage started proceedings on Tuesday in the middle Atlas mountains resort of Ifrane with the participation of youngsters from 11 Arab countries.

The forum-- part of the UNESCO special project dubbed "Youth participation in the preservation and promotion of world heritage" -- seeks to foster youngsters' awareness of the need to preserve the world cultural and natural heritage.

Students and professors from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Syria and Tunisia in addition to the host country Morocco, are exchanging viewpoints on how to protect cultural and natural sites.

Students, aged between 15 and 18, who are debating several topics at the level of workshops, will draft a declaration of commitment that will be presented to the 23rd session of the world heritage committee slated to be held in Marrakesh November 29 through December 4.

Similar forums were held in Norway in 1995, Croatia and Zimbabwe in 1996, China 1997, Japan in 1998 and Senegal in 1999.

The forum, sponsored by the UNESCO world heritage center, is financed by the UNESCO world heritage fund, the Norwegian development agency and the French Rhone-Poulenc foundation. It wraps up on November 28.